There are a number of different types of exercise apparatus that exercise a user's lower body by providing a circuitous stepping motion. These elliptical stepping apparatus provide advantages over other types of exercise apparatuses. For example, the elliptical stepping motion generally reduces shock on the users knees as can occur when a treadmill is used. In addition, elliptical stepping apparatuses exercise the user's lower body to a greater extent than, for example, cycling-type exercise apparatuses. Examples of elliptical stepping apparatuses are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,316,898; 5,242,343; 5,383,829; 5,499,956; 5,529,555, 5,685,804; 5,743,834, 5,759,136; 5,762,588; 5,779,599; 5,577,985, 5,792,026; 5,895,339, 5,899,833, 6,027,431, 6,099,439, 6,146,313, and German Patent No. DE 2 919 494.
However, these elliptical stepping exercise apparatus and other suffer from various drawbacks. For example, some apparatuses are limited to exercising the user's lower body and do not provide exercise for the user's upper body. In addition, the elliptical stepping motion of some apparatus do not produce an optimum foot motion including heel to toe flexure or optimal stride length for different individuals during operation of the apparatus. For example, the elliptical step machines shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,743,835 and 6,027,431 rely on the user to adjust stride length during operation of the machine to obtain a comfortable stride.
Also, for those elliptical step machines that include arm handles connected for motion with the foot pedals to provide upper body exercise, the range of motion of the arm handle in many instances does not provide for a comfortable upper body exercise nor provide a mechanism that would permit the user to readily disconnecting the arm handles from the pedals when upper body exercise is not desired.